Meet Malaysia's Active Community Members from Penang #5: Vanilajan

Let's head to the North! We'll fly all the way from East Malaysia to Penang Island this month! We are going to feature some of the most active community members from this beautiful island. Today, let's explore Penang Island with Vanilajan a.k.a Cindy!

Hi! I am Cindy, and I live in Penang from the mainland side area. I love art since I was a kid and I start to get my passion into photography while I own a cell phone come with the camera. I want to capture every scene that I saw and make it as a piece of my memory also to review back how does it looks like before and after few years later. Well I started my Lomographic Journey from random viewing pictures in Facebook. Then I am so curious about how to make those pictures so amazing without Photoshop edit and hoping to get to know more about it. After that I met a girl, Ewen; from the group of Lomo Penang and she invite me to join several event but I declined because I still not owning any lomography camera yet and too shy to join them. Until I get a camera from my cousin and the 1st outing that I joined is call “I’m here in Georgetown, this July” back in 2010s.

And how did you come across the products of Lomography / Lomography for the first time?

I got my first Lomography camera, the Diana + from my cousin that she bought it from Ebay, it’s a present for her brother. And the first analogue camera that I bought is the UWS from a bookshop call “Kinokuniya” at KLCC. Attracted from the box and the picture has printed on the box, curious how would it be if I can snap them in my living life.

So I heard there’s this very awesome community in Penang – The LomoPenang, are you part of this community?

Yes it is. I am appreciating to this guy, Oliver Tian; he is the leader of the group. If wasn’t this group I wouldn’t met some of the good friends and great Lomographers today.

Did you join any outings / workshops / event organize by this community?

I am taking part in every outing since I started my Lomography journey in 2010s. Last time every end of the month our leader always will thinking some new title to shooting but ever since he has continue his studies at Kuala Lumpur, he rarely organize any outing anymore.

What the best part shooting with a bunch of Lomography enthusiast?

Free model? Hahaha~ Well I love to making new friends and meeting old friends. We talk a lot in every outing also do some sharing about :omography, and having lots of fun like some of us will preparing props to use it during the outing.

Do you enjoy shooting alone or do you prefer shooting together with the community?
Both. I enjoy both. They are different kind of feeling and couldn’t compare.

I think I am living in it. We are all living in the analogue world now from the view of future. It’s such a meaning full pieces for every photo that I captured and the time that I stopped. In addition, it is unexpected and surprise just same like the way that we daring to live.

Tell us the most heart-warming moments ever happen in your life, so far?

The most unforgettable, strangest, funniest or worst photographic/Lomographic thing that you encountered before?

There was one time; I was mess up my fresh film with the used film in a box, and I’m not sure the film that I’m going to loaded to my camera has been using yet or not but in the end I loaded in the film and snap it. After the developing it, I only found out that the film that I loaded has been used before. Well the result is still good as it is. Sometimes life is good while you mess it up, as long as you enjoy the progress :D

What’s your favorite photo in your collection and why?

Although people think that this picture got nothing special to them, well this is special to me. This picture has encouraged me to daring snapping indoor photos without any second thoughts.

I’m born in Kuala Lumpur but I moves to Penang since I was 5 years old. Now I am living and working in Penang.

Penang is one of the awesome islands ever in Malaysia. Tell us, what do you love the most about Penang?

Good question! Food, culture, people, scenery, events, building, atmosphere….I think I love everything here! Penang is really a good place to living in! People here are friendly, culture and atmosphere here is unique, food in here is the most delicious and cheap compares with other places. I think the most I love is the heritage building. They are beautiful and a very great piece of art. I won’t get bored of it even I’ve always passing by and surrounding by them. They just grab attract me the way they looks like and the history that they gone through.

What about the food? Is there any finger-licking good food that you love in Penang?

All?! Char koay teow(although fat for girls), Laksa(such an unique flavour among any other food), Curry mee( it’s what laksa you may found in KL and Singapore), Tom Yam Noodles with Soup(some of the places can let you choose the add-on ingredient), Wan Ton Mee( even the Japanese is in love with this food), Belacan Fried Chicken(the most delicious store that I taste is from Bukit Mertajam), Cendul, Ais Kacang, Hokkien Mee, Loh Mee……etc! Well, the most I love is Tom Yam Noodle with soup and Apom. Lots to introduce and lots of flavours still cannot define by words. Unless you try it out by yourself.

Where would you bring your friend to go when they pay you a visit at Penang?

I’ll probably bring them to Chew Jetty in the evening. Chew Jetty is a place where all the Chinese who’s surname as “Chew” staying at there. It will be a nice place chill and relax at the end of the bridge by the sea with bring along some beverage. Moreover, there’s a seafood stall is next to the bridge. Sometimes me and my friends will take an order some side dishes after the food is cook, they will deliver it to us, it’s such a good service!

Where do you develop your film at Penang? Do you have any other recommendation and what are the price and any other specific notes?

I’ve tried few places before. Last time I’ve sent them to Rido Color at Raja Uda just in front of the Petronas petrol station which is at the mainland of Penang, their service is good with reasonable price, but I’ve heard they stopped to developing film from March 2012 already. How sad~! Then for the island, I’ve tried Excel Photo Trading, Their service is good too, however the CD that they burn to you, it can’t be open in at Windows Vista nor Windows 7. Another shop is “Kong Beng” just few shops beside the Excel Photo Trading. The price for the service is cheap, and usually I sent my films there for developing but until one last time I’I don’t think I’m going to send in any films there anymore. Well, I got no recommend shop now but maybe in the future I will. Because of I’m still looking for the best place to developing my films, a good shop should be includes: good service, reasonably price and the most important thing is responsibility.

Thanks for your time! Before we wrap things up, do you mind letting us know which Lomography product is your favorite and why?

Oktomat is my favorite camera to bring along to any party, outing, and events! This camera bring a lot of fun and laughter to me same as everybody. A great camera to start our conversation on the first date too!

The Oktomat serves up your subject in cleanly sliced 8 little frames. Envision yourself as a movie director with only 2.5 seconds to relate your micro-masterpiece. Get your own Oktomat now!

With a love of antique cameras and analogue photography, Shawn Lin has long been an active member of the Lomography Community with dozens of his shots being featured. Shawn likes to explore the effects of double exposure on different themes and objects, with an emphasis on the presentation of colours. Come take a look of his work of using Petzval Art Lens on his antique camera and his thoughts about the two!

He is a graphic designer from Kassel, Germany who has been a Community member for about a decade. His ten-year stay has been remarkably fruitful. Aside from honing his photography skills, it is in this Community of ours where he met his girlfriend, made a lot of friends, and helped organize a huge weekend meet-up for fellow lomographers. Say hello to Daniel Lauterbach, also known as trash-gordon-from-outer-space, our LomoGuru of the Week!

Séverin Boonne considers photography as his most intimate way of expression. Aside from revealing things about himself, creating images with his trusty cameras helps calm his nerves and keeps him relaxed. In this interview, our newcomer of the week from France talks more about his humble beginnings, passion for shooting film, and more.

Have a look at these bright and beautiful medium format photographs from the community shot with the Lomography Color Negative 400 for 120 cameras. While you're at it, find out how you can earn piggies and have your own CN 400 (120) snaps be featured on the Online Shop!

Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre's invention made possible photography that is literally and figuratively one of a kind. For every shot fired, the photographer can only do one print. And though the marred by stains, a daguerreotype has the long-lived charm of a museum relic.

Chris Goodacre has been shooting on film since the late 1970s. At the same time, he also took interest in building an artillery of analog weapons. In this interview, he shares an extensive list of his collection and the fantastic story that come with each of his cameras.